Gabriel Jesus scores 2 in Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Leicester, City thrash Bournemouth

The Brazil striker marked his home debut for Arsenal with two goals and two assists in a 4-2 win against Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday.

Jesus, who joined from Manchester City as Arsenal’s marquee summer signing so far, opened his account for the Gunners in the 23rd minute with a brilliant, curling finish. He got his second in the 35th from a header and had several chances to finish the game at Emirates Stadium with a hat trick.

The two times Leicester found itself back in the match, Arsenal responded right away.

The visitors made it 2-1 from an own goal by William Saliba in the 53rd, but Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka restored the home side’s two-goal cushion two minutes later. Xhaka scored after Jesus poked a loose ball into his path after Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward failed to hold on to a routine cross into the box and collided with defender Wesley Fofana.

FULL-TIME Arsenal 4-2 Leicester

The Gunners overcome a tenacious Foxes performance to start their #PL campaign with back-to-back wins 🤩#ARSLEI pic.twitter.com/BvRm4GwKBr

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 13, 2022

Leicester attacking midfielder James Maddison made it 3-2 in the 74th when he sent a low shot through the legs of Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

A nervous murmur went through the crowd, but the Arsenal team didn’t panic as it did in similar situations in recent seasons. Jesus drove forward just a minute later and squared the ball to forward Gabriel Martinelli, who fired a left-footed shot from just outside the area to beat Ward at the back post to make it 4-2.

Leicester also had a penalty decision overturned just before halftime after the referee first pointed to the spot and then was asked to review a coming together of Ramsdale and Leicester forward Jamie Vardy in the box.

On a hot day when the mercury hit around 33 C (91 F), six goals and the pace of the game took a lot out of the players and water breaks were needed in each half. The result means that Arsenal has won both of its opening league games, with Leicester drawing its first match.

Jesus was the focus of Arsenal’s attack throughout the match, with teammates trying to get him the ball at every opportunity. For his first goal, he took one touch after receiving a pass from Xhaka, set himself and then bent a shot that took a slight deflection to sail in past Ward.

Jesus got a bit of help for his second from Vardy. The Leicester forward flicked the ball backward across the face of goal from a corner, and Jesus headed into an empty net at the back post.

The striker nearly scored a hat trick before halftime when he dominated Leicester defender Jonny Evans with his back to goal, spun around him into the box and fired a low shot saved by Ward. He had multiple chances in the second half as well.

Unlike Arsenal, Leicester has been very quiet in the transfer market. The team only announced its first signing of the transfer window on the eve of Saturday’s match. Alex Smithies, a 32-year-old backup goalkeeper who most recently played for Cardiff, signed with the Foxes on a two-year deal.

Man City earns 2nd win by thrashing Bournemouth 4-0 in EPL

Erling Haaland might not hog all of Manchester City’s goals this season, after all.

Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden were City’s scorers — along with an own-goal — in a 4-0 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, with Haaland barely getting a sight on goal at Etihad Stadium.

The Norway striker scored both of City’s goals in its opening-weekend 2-0 win at West Ham but was mostly crowded out a week later as Bournemouth sat deep with plenty of men behind the ball in a match that resembled an attack vs. defense training exercise.

City’s midfielders reaped the benefits of the extra focus on Haaland.

FULL-TIME Man City 4-0 AFC Bournemouth

A convincing win for the champions in their first home #PL match of the season#MCIBOU pic.twitter.com/eEeFQ8SZ2P

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 13, 2022

Gundogan’s goal did involve City’s new star striker, with Haaland holding off his marker with his back to goal and clipping a ball through to the Germany midfielder. Gundogan’s left-footed finish found the bottom corner in the 19th for his 50th goal for City.

De Bruyne scored the pick of the goals, the playmaker cutting inside on a counterattack led by Foden in the 31st, beating a defender and bending his shot with the outside of his right foot into the far corner.

De Bruyne returned the favor for Foden six minutes later, slipping a brilliant pass through the legs of a defender and into the path of his teammate, who took a touch and fired in a deflected shot that beat goalkeeper Mark Travers.

Haaland’s best chance fell in the 73rd when he mishit a first-time shot wide from Jack Grealish’s cut-back. The striker was substituted moments later.

The scoring was completed by Jefferson Lerma, who unwittingly turned a cross from Joao Cancelo into his own net from inside Bournemouth’s six-yard box.

It was a wake-up call for Bournemouth after the promoted team started the season with a surprisingly comfortable 2-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend.

City manager Pep Guardiola again chose to start with Bernardo Silva on the bench. The Portugal midfielder has been linked with a move to Barcelona and didn’t start against West Ham, either.

Southampton’s comeback salvages 2-2 draw with Leeds

Southampton erased a two-goal deficit in the second half to salvage a 2-2 draw with Leeds in the Premier League on Saturday.

Kyle Walker-Peters’ shot from a tight angle squeezed under goalkeeper Illan Meslier’s right arm and into the net to equalize in the 81st, nine minutes after substitute Joe Aribo got the comeback started at St. Mary’s.

FULL-TIME Southampton 2-2 Leeds

A spirited comeback from Southampton see the spoils shared 🤝#SOULEE pic.twitter.com/ROa8QzdA8n

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 13, 2022

Rodrigo’s two second-half goals put Leeds on course for back-to-back wins to start its season after barely avoiding relegation in the last campaign.

But Jesse Marsch’s team couldn’t hold the lead in the sweltering heat, and the draw should ease pressure off Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl, whose team was routed 4-1 at Tottenham last weekend.

Villa beats Everton 2-1 as Gerrard gets better of Lampard

Steven Gerrard got the better of former England teammate Frank Lampard in their first meeting as managers as Aston Villa beat Everton 2-1 thanks to goals by Danny Ings and Emi Buendia in the Premier League on Saturday.

Ings turned inside the penalty area after receiving a pass from strike partner Ollie Watkins, took an extra touch to his left and scored with a fierce left-footed strike in the 31st minute.

Watkins, back in the starting team after being a substitute in the 2-0 loss at Bournemouth last weekend, also set up Buendia for the second goal in the 86th. The Argentina playmaker slipped a pass through to Watkins, whose low center across the face of goal was tapped in by Buendia.